He lives in crosskeys, south wales, and works as a teacher. He was one of two inaugural hay international fellows established by the hay festival. Join facebook to connect with jon gower and others you may know. Mar 19, 2020 jon gower, writer and keen walker of the welsh mountains, explores the unique characteristics of each of wales s five ranges and reflects on what they mean to the people who live among them. In this book as part of cyfres amdani, jon gower takes the reader to 30 different locations connected to wales history. Wales book of the year 2019 winners literature wales. Jon gower the murenger and other stories at rossiter. He was one of the first hay festival international. A former bbc wales arts and media correspondent, he has published ten books, including an island called smith, winner of the john morgan travel award. Jon gower won the welsh language wales book of the year prize in 2012 for his novel y storiwr gomer 2011. Wales book of the year shortlisted author jon gower credits his grandfather with instilling him with a love a story well told. Beginning with a prehistoric burial during a warm period of the ice age era, gower takes the reader through the human occupation of the 8,023 square miles that would become wales. Ailbhe darcy wins the 2019 wales book of the year award.
Previous winners john harrison and jon gower last years welshlanguage winner are also nominated for their nonfiction books about antarctic explorers and a. Jon gower has published novels, short stories and factual books in both english and welsh. Click and collect from your local waterstones or get free uk delivery on orders over. The future of the book of the year awards will be discussed at a meeting of literature wales later. The story of wales is a vibrant portrait of 30,000 years of power, identity and politics. Bbc radio 3 the essay, higher thoughts and the meaning. These are the authors who have made the wales book of the year. Revisiting major turning points in welsh history, from its earliest settlements to the present day, jon gower reexamines the myths and misconceptions about this glorious country, revealing a people who have reacted with energy and invention to changing times and opportunities. As gower says, the welsh had their own name for themselves, the cymryderived from the celtic which means fellow countryman. The mattries37315 reading thread of 2020 the green dragon. Jon gowers most popular book is the story of wales. He is an english language judge for the 2011 wales book of the year. In total, 34 books have been published through the scheme, and mr gower said he was in the process of reading every one. Jon gower has over thirty books to his name, in welsh and english, including the story of wales, which accompanied the landmark bbc series, an island called smith, which gained the john morgan travel writing award, and y storiwr, which won the wales book of the year award.
His book is a visit to the site, in south america, of the most enduring overseas venture ever sustained by the welsh. The llanelli identity may be complex but it is embraced by an almost tribal people. Wales book of the year 2011 english language judges francesca rhydderch jon gower deborah kay davies welsh language judges simon brooks kate crockett gerwyn wiliams. There will be four new titles published this year as part of the initiative, two in welsh and two in english. Pure wales wales and welsh were names imposed by the invaders.
The story of wales by jon gower follows the 30,000year history of the land that. A memoir about years lost to addiction and interwoven stories of people moving across the globe are among those shortlisted for the newlook wales book of the year award. His welshlanguage novel y storiwr won the wales book of the year award in 2012. The wales book of the year is a welsh literary award given annually to the best welsh and english language works in the fields of fiction and literary criticism by welsh or welsh interest authors. Beginning with a prehistoric burial during a warm period of the ice age era, gower takes the reader through the human. Jon gower has written fifteen books on subjects as diverse as a disappearing island in chesapeake bay an island called smith which won the john morgan award, real llanelli a west wales tour in psychogeography and the fiction of dalar llanw, uncharted and big fish.
The perception of wales has changed over the past two millennia not only within its own borders, but also how others look at it. The top 10 welsh language novels of the 2010s nation. The annual wales book of the year journey began on monday th may as the 20 short list was announced via a special online broadcast. He is a former bbc wales arts and media correspondent and was for many. Jon gower traces the steps of the first welsh settlers in a bleak and cruel land, and hears how their 21stcentury descendants view their history and. He documents industrial workers in merthyr tydfil playing the game of quoits as it enjoyed a revival in the early 1950s and coracle men on the teifi quietly predicting the end of a 2000 year long tradition of river fishing. The winning title of the overall welshlanguage award as well as the aberystwyth university fiction award and the golwg360 welshlanguage. Author jon gower on being shortlisted for wales book of. Jan 11, 2017 jon gower, winner of the award in 2012 and a judge of the english language award in 2011, said. Feb 01, 2012 the story of wales by jon gower follows the 30,000 year history of the land that would one day become wales thats story is still being told today. Celebration year for welsh arts jon gower bbc wales arts and media correspondent. A former bbc wales arts and media correspondent, jon gower is much in.
Jon gower has 27 books on goodreads with 340 ratings. Wales book of the year winner jon gower backs the library of wales series, which has sold 50,000 copies since it was launched in 2006. Jon gower has written more than 20 books in both the english and welsh languages. Established in 1992, the awards are currently administered by literature wales, and supported by the arts council of wales, welsh government and. Wales book of the year shortlisted author jon gower credits his grandfather with instilling him with a love a story well told walesonline load mobile navigation news. Author jon gower on being shortlisted for wales book of the. Bbc wales jon gower looks back at a year of musical and artistic celebration in wales in 2004. Broadcaster, journalist and writer jon gower proves wellequipped to explore llanelli and its culture in both languages in an entertaining book full of fresh insights and fascinating stories. Jon gower, winner of the award in 2012 and a judge of the english language award in 2011.
He grew up in llanelli, graduated in english from cambridge university. Bunting by jon gower taken from too cold for snow, 2012 jon gower was born in 1959 in llanelli, and read english at girton college, cambridge university. Bbc radio 3 the essay, higher thoughts and the meaning of. Jon gower, writer and keen walker of the welsh mountains, explores the unique characteristics of each of waless five ranges and reflects on.
His most recent work of nonfiction isthe story of wales, which accompanies a landmark tv series and his latest. Jon is currently working on a critical biography of the american actor steve buscemi and has recently published a book about his home town, llanelli, for serens real wales series. May, 20 previous winners john harrison and jon gower last year s welshlanguage winner are also nominated for their nonfiction books about antarctic explorers and a journey around the welsh coast. The mattries37315 reading thread of 2020 the green. Feb 09, 2012 the story of wales is a vibrant portrait of 30,000 years of power, identity and politics. Jon gower is a producer with boomerang, one of wales most dynamically creative tv. Jon gower grew up in llanelli, wales and studied english at cambridge university. Author jon gower on being shortlisted for wales book of the year. Jun 17, 2011 jon is currently working on a critical biography of the american actor steve buscemi and has recently published a book about his home town, llanelli, for serens real wales series.
Jon gowers first english language novel, uncharted, marks a. Jan 11, 2017 the future of the book of the year awards will be discussed at a meeting of literature wales later. A book celebrating the 150th anniversary of the welsh emigration to patagonia, a signal moment in the history of wales and argentina. It would be a great shame if the awards were brought to an end since opportunities for welsh.
The launch this year of the completed wales coastal path has produced a new book by jon gower as well as numerous newspaper articles. His welshlanguage novel y storiwr won the wales book of the year award in. He explains why these places are important to welsh history and describes their beauty and atmosphere in his own special way. Jul, 20 jon gower, wales at waters edge gwasg gomer in a departure from his usual way of working, he decided to include portraits, and so we agreed on 10 little vignettes that i would write, to. In keeping with many of the enduring images in ioan roberts book it is one well. The wales book of the year award is an annual prize celebrating outstanding literary talent from wales across many genres and in both english and welsh. Jon gower, wales at waters edge gwasg gomer in a departure from his usual way of working, he decided to include portraits, and so we agreed on 10 little vignettes that i would write, to. Jon gower is one of waless brightest literary talents. Jun 06, 20 the story of wales is a vibrant portrait of 30,000 years of power, identity and politics.
Wales book of the year shortlist revealed wales online. He grew up in llanelli, graduated in english from cambridge university, and now lives in cardiff. A prolific author, his 2010 novel uncharted received unstinting critical acclaim, whilst his an island called smith won the john morgan travel award. In 2012 he won wales book of the year prize in the welsh language fiction category for y storiwr, published by gomer. The story of wales by jon gower follows the 30,000year history of the. English language judges francesca rhydderch jon gower deborah kay davies. The single paragraph on the same page is indicator that this is more than a piece of commemorative year publishing tiein. In the literary world the welsh book of the year awards for 2004 went to aberystwythbased writer niall griffiths for his book stump and to jerry hunter for his book about the role of the welsh in the american civil war. One in mr murdochs flagship sunday paper described dylan as a drunkard and sometime poet which just displayed the ignorance of the media who would not want the truth to get in the way of a good story. Dr john davies, about his life and his home 4 and in 2014 published his autobiography in welsh.
According to jon gower in his book the story of wales penguin random house, 2012, the terms come from old english and translates to foreign land and foreigners. Jon is a writer and broadcaster who has over twenty books to his name. To mark his 75th birthday in 20, the welsh language television channel s4c broadcast a programme, gwirionedd y galon. The story of wales by jon gower meet your next favorite book. A former bbc wales arts and media correspondent, jon gower is much in demand as a producer, presenter and public speaker, and indeed travels the world as an ambassador for the hay festival. Jun 04, 20 the annual wales book of the year journey began on monday th may as the 20 short list was announced via a special online broadcast. Jons second volume of short stories, too cold for snow, was published in 2012. The 2018 quick reads titles in wales, published by rily publications and y lolfa, are to be officially launched by kirsty williams, the cabinet secretary for education, at the norwegian church, cardiff bay, on tuesday, 6 march, at 11.
Dr john davies, about his life and his home and in 2014 published his autobiography in welsh. He is a writer, performer and broadcaster, as well as a producer with boomerang, one of wales most dynamically creative tv and radio companies. Jon gower s most popular book is the story of wales. Established in 1992, the awards are currently administered by literature wales, and supported by the arts council of wales, welsh government and the welsh books council. Using a digital platform for the short list means that everyone, whether in wales or further afield, can celebrate the wealth of literary talent in wales.
But as the books subtitle intimates charles also chronicled people and ways of life that were on the cusp of disappearing. The wales book of the year is a welsh literary award given annually to the best welsh and. Dylan thomas on the wales coastal walk dylan thomas. Jon gower the murenger and other stories at rossiter books. Jon gower, winner of the award in 2012 and a judge of the english language award in 2011, said.
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